Teresa Giudice and her husband Joe pleaded guilty to nearly 40 counts of fraud in March. She and her husband were both sentenced on October 2; she received 15 months, and he will serve nearly three years once she completes her sentence.

As for Martha Stewart, she was sent to jail for insider trading, which is a serious felony offense.

One unexpected side-effect of Martha Stewart serving five months in jail? It was said to have increased her popularity substantially.

Some wonder if the same could happen to Teresa Giudice. Will Bravo welcome her back with open arms? Will American audiences look at Teresa and see a sympathetic woman, a woman to support and cheer for?

There are a few notable advantages that Martha Stewart had going for her that Teresa Giudice simply does not:

1.) Teresa Giudice is a pampered New Jersey housewife; Martha Stewart is a self-made CEO worth hundreds of millions.

Giudice cannot claim that her wealth came through hard work and perseverance. Even though Stewart acted dishonestly, it was to protect a brand that she built.

Teresa and Joe Giudice obtained their version of the American dream through outright dishonest means, getting millions of dollars by misrepresenting themselves. Teresa Giudice then played the role of pampered housewife on a reality television series.

Even with all of Stewart’s wealth and privilege, Giudice is highly unsympathetic thanks to her behavior before, during, and even after her conviction.

2.) Teresa Giudice and her husband Joe pleaded guilty but kept deception going even as they were about to be sentenced!

Martha Stewart was convicted despite maintaining her innocence. Even so, she took her sentence in stride and served her time with dignity.

Teresa Giudice wept in court, begging for leniency… even as the judge admonished both her and her husband for failure to accurately reveal all of their assets or even file back taxes.

The lack of dignity combined with a lack of honesty will likely win Giudice no points whatsoever.

According to Radar Online, the punishment for the crimes committed by Joe and Teresa Giudice carry a maximum of 20 years in jail.

Teresa will instead serve 15 months (if that) in a cozy minimum security prison. If Teresa’s first actions after prison are to go into detail about “how hard she had it,” she may experience an overwhelming backlash.

Of course, there is a chance Giudice may use her jail time to display a side of herself not seen on reality television. She may learn to control her infamous temper and demonstrate a humble nature.

If it’s clear that jail time has “changed her” (or she puts on the appearance it has), it’s possible Teresa Giudice could see the sort of post-popularity boost that Martha Stewart enjoyed.

Do you think prison will make Teresa Giudice more popular or will she remain highly disliked?